In an age when much of the new music is sad and serious, DJ and producer Digital Farm Animals just wants his audience to feel good. More specifically, he wants to make them to feel like millionaires.

With euphoria-inducing hooks, early 2000’s-style lyrics, and a fiery beat, his latest single, “Millionaire,” a collaboration with Nelly and Cash Cash, does just that.

Digital Farm Animals spoke with FAULT about the process that goes into creating that sky-high feeling.

FAULT: Why the name? Why Digital Farm Animals?

Digital Farm Animals: The name came from when I was at university. I very strangely had a room that overlooked a farm, and there were all kinds of different animals I’d stare at very early in the morning while I was making music. I think one day I named a track something like “Digital Farm.” And then I was like, “Oh that could be a cool name, actually,” and just used it for myself.

 

FAULT: I feel like most of us have only a vague understanding of what a producer does. What was your role in the creation “Millionaire”?

Digital Farm Animals: “Millionaire” was a kind of collaborative production, in terms of the actual beat and the making of the backing track. I suppose when people these days think of producers, that’s what “producer” really means—basically everything else beyond the backing track. I think back in the day, the traditional meaning of producer was more someone who oversees the track. They may not even make any sounds, but they would kind of direct the song overall. There are people like Rick Rubin who, as far as I understand, are not that hands on all the time, but are still amazing producers; they get things done.

As far as my role in “Millionaire,” I was involved in a lot of the sounds you hear … But the other thing that I did, which, I suppose is more songwriting, is that I actually wrote the song itself. So I wrote the top line in the chorus—the “I feel like a millionaire.” And it’s actually me singing that as well, pitched up and everything, so I did all that stuff.

I suppose a lot of the time now, I get involved in songwriting as well as the making of the music. It’s a part that I really enjoy and love. I don’t think there is one definition of producer, but for me, it’s kind of a bit of everything. Some tracks I’ll write all the lyrics, some tracks just do the beat, etc. But it tends to be more now that I’m involved in the songwriting as well.

 

FAULT: Who made the collaboration with Nelly and Cash Cash happen?

Digital Farm Animals: Cash Cash actually reached out to us. We’d kind of been introduced by our labels, and they were really liking the sound of my stuff prior to that. We said we’d do a collaboration at some point, and I was sending over ideas, and their team just really loved [“Millionaire”]. They put the drop in—the weird “duh-duh-duh-duh dut, dut” kind of sound—which I loved. And at the same time, there was talk of getting a rapper on it, and they reached out to Nelly. He must have heard some of my other stuff as well. It just kind of came together and worked, very luckily I suppose. It was a right time, right place kind of thing. He was really cool, such a nice, down-to-earth guy.

 

FAULT: How did you get started producing? How did you learn?

Digital Farm Animals: My best mate, Nick Myers [who’s a part of Digital Farm Animals Live], gave me a CD with a program called FruityLoops on it when I was like 13 years old, and I just became obsessed with it. I was spending hours every night just making beats. I think back then, I was doing all kinds of weird house music. And then I went into doing dubstep production and stuff. I’ve just been doing it for years and years and years.

 

FAULT: If you could work with anyone in the world, who would it be?

Digital Farm Animals: The ultimate has got to be Calvin Harris. He’s not just a great DJ, but also an amazing songwriter. He’s someone who pushes boundaries and can do everything.

And Coldplay, my all-time favourite band, actually. That’s quite cliche, but there’s a reason for that. They’re just amazing.

 

FAULT: Do you think the #HotInHerreStreamingParty—where people were streaming Nelly’s songs over and over again to try and help him pay off his debt—has helped your numbers at all?

Digital Farm Animals: Do you know what? I only heard about that the other day. I don’t know, but hopefully it’s helped him out. And hopefully “Millionaire” will help him out. I have no comment, but if it has, thank you to anyone who streamed it. (Laughs)

 

FAULT: What are you making next?

Digital Farm Animals: I’m putting together my next single, which is finished in terms of the production and everything. We’re just putting some final touches on the mix. I can’t say much about it because I want to keep it a bit of a surprise, we’re really excited about it. It’s in the same lane as “Millionaire”—that kind of vibe. It’s feel-good, and quite a big-sounding, anthemic track. I think that’s going to be a theme now for quite a lot of the Digital Farm Animals music. I really enjoyed making “Millionaire,” and I don’t feel like there’s that much fun music out at the moment. There’s a lot of deep music, I think, and it’s quite nice making happy, fun music.

I’ve also got a ton of other stuff coming out that I’ve written for other people. I’ve done a track for Louisa Johnson, which will be coming out at some point soon. I’ve done something for Anne-Marie, who’s awesome. I’ve been working with Rita Ora on her album. And there’s quite a few other bits as well.

FAULT: What is your FAULT?

Digital Farm Animals: I think I overanalyze everything. I can spend hours going over a mix when it’s probably right, and then make it wrong, and then go back to the original state. I think quite a lot of producers do that. I certainly can waste a lot of time looking a minute details and losing the bigger picture a little bit. It’s sometimes beneficial, but it can be a FAULT.

 

Words Cody Fitzpatrick

Photos Stephanie YT